Minerals and Energy Resources Class 10: Notes and Answers

What Minerals and Energy Resources is about

Weightage: Geography carries 20 of the 80 theory marks; this chapter shares them with Resources and Development, Forest and Wildlife Resources, Water Resources, Agriculture, Manufacturing Industries and Lifelines of National Economy.Source: CBSE Social Science syllabus 2026-27, Geography

In real board papers: asked in 20 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 3.4 marks per paper. See the questions

Key concepts

Minerals, Ores and Mode of Occurrence

NCERT section Mode of Occurrence of Minerals

Geologists define a mineral as a homogenous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal structure. Rocks are made of minerals: limestone has just one, but most rocks mix several. Which mineral forms depends on the physical and chemical conditions at the time, so minerals vary widely in colour, hardness, crystal form, lustre and density.

Minerals usually occur in ores, which are minerals mixed with other elements. An ore is worth mining only if the mineral is concentrated enough to make extraction pay. The type of formation decides how easy and how costly mining is, so learn the five modes:

• Veins and lodes (small and large) in cracks and faults of igneous and metamorphic rocks: molten or gaseous material rises, cools and solidifies. Tin, copper, zinc, lead.
• Beds or layers in sedimentary rocks: coal and some iron ore (long heat and pressure); gypsum, potash salt, sodium salt (evaporation in arid regions).
• Residual mass left when surface rocks decompose: bauxite.
• Placer deposits in sands of valley floors and hill bases: gold, silver, tin, platinum, which water does not corrode.
• Oceans: common salt, magnesium, bromine from water; manganese nodules on the bed.

Worked example

Explain the five modes in which minerals occur, giving one example of each. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Veins and lodes: found in cracks, faults or joints of igneous and metamorphic rocks when rising molten or gaseous material cools and solidifies; example tin or copper (1 mark)
2. Beds or layers: found in sedimentary rocks through deposition, accumulation and concentration in horizontal strata; example coal or gypsum (1 mark)
3. Residual mass: left when surface rocks decompose and soluble parts are removed; example bauxite (1 mark)
4. Placer deposits: alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and the base of hills, containing minerals not corroded by water; example gold or platinum (1 mark)
5. Ocean waters and beds: common salt, magnesium and bromine from sea water; manganese nodules on the ocean bed (1 mark)

Answer: - Veins and lodes: in cracks, faults or joints of igneous and metamorphic rocks, where rising molten or gaseous material cools and solidifies; e.g. tin, copper.
- Beds or layers: in sedimentary rocks, by deposition and concentration in horizontal strata; e.g. coal, gypsum.
- Residual mass: left when surface rocks decompose and soluble parts are removed; e.g. bauxite.
- Placer deposits: in alluvial sands of valley floors and hill bases, holding minerals not corroded by water; e.g. gold.
- Ocean waters and beds: common salt, magnesium and bromine from the water; manganese nodules on the ocean bed.

Ferrous Minerals: Iron Ore and Manganese

NCERT section Ferrous Minerals

Ferrous minerals, iron ore and manganese, make up about three-fourths of the value of India's metallic mineral production. They are a strong base for metallurgical industries, and India exports large amounts after meeting its own demand.

Iron ore is the basic mineral and backbone of industrial development. Know the two ores:

• Magnetite: the finest ore, up to 70 per cent iron, with magnetic qualities valued in the electrical industry.
• Hematite: slightly less iron (50 to 60 per cent) but the most important by quantity used.

In 2018-19, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Jharkhand produced about 97 per cent of India's iron ore. Learn the four belts with one feature each:

• Odisha-Jharkhand: Badampahar mines (Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar); Gua and Noamundi in Singbhum.
• Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur (Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra): Bailadila hills, 14 super high grade hematite deposits, exported to Japan and South Korea via Vishakhapatnam.
• Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru (Karnataka): Kudremukh, a 100 per cent export unit; ore sent as slurry by pipeline to a port near Mangaluru.
• Maharashtra-Goa: lower quality but efficiently mined; exported via Marmagao.

Manganese: nearly 10 kg per tonne of steel; also used for bleaching powder, insecticides and paints.

Worked example

Name the four major iron ore belts of India and give one important feature of each. Also state one difference between magnetite and hematite. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Odisha-Jharkhand belt with a feature: high grade hematite at Badampahar (Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar) or Gua and Noamundi in Singbhum (1 mark)
2. Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt with a feature: Bailadila hills with 14 super high grade hematite deposits, exported to Japan and South Korea via Vishakhapatnam (1 mark)
3. Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru belt with a feature: Kudremukh is a 100 per cent export unit, ore sent as slurry to a port near Mangaluru (1 mark)
4. Maharashtra-Goa belt with a feature: ores not of very high quality but efficiently exploited, exported through Marmagao (1 mark)
5. Difference: magnetite has up to 70 per cent iron and magnetic qualities; hematite has 50-60 per cent iron but is the most used industrial ore (1 mark)

Answer: - Odisha-Jharkhand belt: high grade hematite at Badampahar (Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar); Gua and Noamundi in Singbhum.
- Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt (Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra): Bailadila hills have 14 super high grade hematite deposits; ore exported to Japan and South Korea via Vishakhapatnam.
- Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru belt (Karnataka): Kudremukh is a 100 per cent export unit; ore sent as slurry through a pipeline to a port near Mangaluru.
- Maharashtra-Goa belt: ores not very high quality but efficiently exploited; exported through Marmagao.
- Magnetite is the finest ore with up to 70 per cent iron and magnetic qualities; hematite has 50-60 per cent iron but is the most used industrial ore.

Non-Ferrous, Non-Metallic and Rock Minerals

NCERT section Non-Ferrous Minerals; Non-Metallic Minerals; Rock Minerals

India's reserves and production of non-ferrous minerals (copper, bauxite, lead, zinc, gold) are not very satisfactory, yet they are vital for metallurgical, engineering and electrical industries.

• Copper: India is critically deficient. Because copper is malleable, ductile and a good conductor, it is used in electrical cables, electronics and chemical industries. Leading producers: Balaghat mines (Madhya Pradesh), Khetri mines (Rajasthan), Singhbhum district (Jharkhand).
• Bauxite: a clay-like substance from which alumina and then aluminium are obtained. It forms when rocks rich in aluminium silicates decompose. Aluminium matters because it combines the strength of metals like iron with extreme lightness, good conductivity and great malleability. Deposits: Amarkantak plateau, Maikal hills, Bilaspur-Katni plateau; Odisha led in 2018-19, with Panchpatmali (Koraput) its key deposit.

Mica (non-metallic) splits into very thin sheets. Its di-electric strength, low power loss, insulation and resistance to high voltage make it indispensable in electric and electronic industries. Areas: Koderma-Gaya-Hazaribagh belt (Jharkhand, the leader), Ajmer (Rajasthan), Nellore (Andhra Pradesh).

Limestone (rock mineral) occurs in sedimentary rocks of calcium carbonates. It is the basic raw material for cement and essential for smelting iron ore in the blast furnace.

Worked example

Read the statements and choose the correct option. (1 mark)
Assertion (A): India is critically deficient in the reserve and production of copper.
Reason (R): Copper is malleable, ductile and a good conductor.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Check A: the chapter states India is critically deficient in copper reserve and production, so A is true (½ mark)
2. Check R and the link: R is true, but it explains why copper is used in cables and electronics, not why India lacks copper, so R does not explain A (½ mark)

Answer: (b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.

Hazards of Mining and Conservation of Minerals

NCERT section Conservation of Minerals

Mining gives us raw materials, but at a cost. Miners breathe dust and noxious fumes, which makes them prone to pulmonary diseases, and coal mines carry the constant risk of roof collapse, flooding (inundation) and fire. Around mines, water sources get contaminated, and dumped waste and slurry degrade land and soil and pollute streams and rivers. Stricter safety rules and environmental laws are needed so that mining does not become a 'killer industry'.

Why conserve minerals? Follow the chain of reasons:

• Workable deposits are only about one per cent of the earth's crust.
• They took millions of years to form, and replenishment is infinitely slow compared with how fast we use them, so they are finite and non-renewable.
• As mining continues, ores come from greater depths and are of lower quality, so costs rise.

How to conserve:

• Use minerals in a planned and sustainable way.
• Develop improved technology to use low grade ores at low cost.
• Recycle metals, use scrap metal, and use substitutes.

Worked example

Why is it necessary to conserve mineral resources? Suggest any two ways to conserve them. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Workable mineral deposits are only about one per cent of the earth's crust (1 mark)
2. Minerals take millions of years to form and are replenished far more slowly than they are consumed, so they are finite and non-renewable (1 mark)
3. Continued extraction means mining from greater depths with falling quality, which raises costs (1 mark)
4. Way 1: evolve improved technologies to use low grade ores at low cost (1 mark)
5. Way 2: recycle metals and use scrap metals and substitutes (1 mark)

Answer: Need to conserve:
- Workable deposits form only about one per cent of the earth's crust.
- Minerals take millions of years to form; replenishment is infinitely slower than consumption, so they are finite and non-renewable.
- Continued extraction means digging deeper for poorer-quality ore, so costs keep rising.

Ways:
- Develop improved technologies to use low grade ores at low cost.
- Recycle metals, use scrap metals and use substitutes, so that minerals are used in a planned and sustainable way.

Energy Resources and Their Classification

NCERT section Energy Resources

Energy is needed for every activity: cooking, providing light and heat, moving vehicles and driving machinery in industry. It comes from fuel minerals (coal, petroleum, natural gas, uranium) and from electricity.

NCERT sorts energy resources into two groups. Learn the members of each group, because MCQs test them:

• Conventional: the traditional fuels of village homes (wood and dung cake), the fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas), and electricity made either from flowing water or in fuel-burning power plants.
• Non-conventional: energy from the sun, the wind, the tides and the earth's inner heat, gas from organic waste (biogas), and nuclear power. Note that atomic energy is in this group, not the first.

Firewood and cattle dung cake are the most common fuels in rural India. One estimate says they meet more than 70 per cent of rural household energy needs. Two problems follow:

• Forest area is shrinking, so depending on firewood is getting harder.
• Burning dung cake is discouraged because it uses up valuable manure that could feed farm soil.

This is the link to the rest of the chapter: these problems, and our growing dependence on fossil fuels, explain why biogas, solar power and energy conservation matter so much.

Worked example

Why is the use of firewood and cattle dung cake as fuel becoming difficult or being discouraged in rural India? (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Firewood: continued use is becoming difficult because forest area is decreasing (1 mark)
2. Dung cake: its use is discouraged because burning it consumes valuable manure that could be used in agriculture (1 mark)

Answer: - Firewood is becoming harder to depend on because forest area is decreasing.
- Burning cattle dung cake is discouraged because it destroys valuable manure that could otherwise enrich farm soil.

Coal

NCERT section Conventional Sources of Energy

Coal is India's most abundant fossil fuel. It meets a large share of the nation's energy needs: power generation, energy for industry and domestic use. India depends heavily on it for commercial energy.

Coal forms when plant material is compressed over millions of years. Its form depends on how much it was compressed and how deep and how long it was buried, which gives a quality ladder:

• Peat: from decaying plants in swamps; low carbon, high moisture, low heating capacity.
• Lignite: low grade brown coal, soft, high moisture; main reserves at Neyveli (Tamil Nadu), used for electricity.
• Bituminous: buried deep at higher temperatures; the most popular commercial coal. Its high grade form, metallurgical coal, is used for smelting iron in blast furnaces.
• Anthracite: highest quality hard coal.

Two geological ages:

• Gondwana (a little over 200 million years): metallurgical coal of the Damodar valley (West Bengal-Jharkhand) with Jharia, Raniganj and Bokaro; also Godavari, Mahanadi, Son and Wardha valleys.
• Tertiary (about 55 million years): Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland.

Coal is bulky and loses weight as it turns to ash, so heavy industries and thermal power stations sit on or near coalfields.

Worked example

Coal in India occurs in rocks of two geological ages. Describe its distribution and explain why heavy industries and thermal power stations are located on or near coalfields. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Location: coal is bulky and loses weight on use as it turns to ash, so it is cheaper to set up industries and power stations near coalfields (1 mark)
2. Gondwana coal: a little over 200 million years old; it is metallurgical coal (1 mark)
3. Gondwana reserves: mainly in the Damodar valley (West Bengal-Jharkhand), with Jharia, Raniganj and Bokaro coalfields (1 mark)
4. Other Gondwana areas: the Godavari, Mahanadi, Son and Wardha valleys also contain coal (1 mark)
5. Tertiary coal: only about 55 million years old, found in Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland (1 mark)

Answer: - Coal is bulky and loses weight as it burns to ash, so heavy industries and thermal power stations are set up on or near coalfields to cut transport.
- Gondwana coal is a little over 200 million years old; it is metallurgical coal.
- Its major reserves are in the Damodar valley (West Bengal-Jharkhand), at Jharia, Raniganj and Bokaro.
- The Godavari, Mahanadi, Son and Wardha valleys also hold coal deposits.
- Tertiary coal is only about 55 million years old; it is found in Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.

Petroleum, Natural Gas and Electricity

NCERT section Conventional Sources of Energy

Petroleum is India's next major energy source after coal. It gives fuel for heat and lighting, lubricants for machines and raw materials for industry. Refineries act as a 'nodal industry' for synthetic textile, fertiliser and many chemical industries.

Most Indian petroleum lies in anticlines and fault traps in tertiary rocks. In an anticline (upfold), oil collects at the crest within porous limestone or sandstone; non-porous layers stop it rising or sinking. Gas, being lighter, sits above the oil. Major areas: Mumbai High, Gujarat (Ankleshwar is the key field) and Assam, the oldest producer (Digboi, Naharkatiya, Moran-Hugrijan).

Natural gas occurs with petroleum. It fuels power plants, industrial heating, vehicles (CNG) and kitchens (PNG), and is a raw material for chemical, petrochemical and fertiliser industries. Reserves: Mumbai High, Cambay basin, Krishna-Godavari basin. GAIL's 1,700 km Hazira-Vijaipur-Jagdishpur pipeline linked Mumbai High and Bassein to western and northern India.

Electricity: per capita consumption is an index of development. Hydel power uses fast flowing water (renewable); thermal power burns coal, petroleum or natural gas (non-renewable).

Worked example

Distinguish between hydroelectricity and thermal electricity on any two bases. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. How generated: hydroelectricity from fast flowing water driving hydro turbines; thermal electricity from burning coal, petroleum or natural gas to drive turbines (1 mark)
2. Nature of resource: hydroelectricity uses a renewable resource; thermal electricity uses non-renewable fossil fuels (1 mark)

Answer: - Source: hydel power uses fast flowing water to turn turbines; thermal power burns coal, petroleum or natural gas.
- Resource type: hydel uses a renewable resource; thermal uses non-renewable fossil fuels.

Non-Conventional Sources of Energy

NCERT section Non-Conventional Sources of Energy

Why look beyond coal, oil and gas? Growing energy use has made India increasingly dependent on fossil fuels. Rising oil and gas prices and possible shortages make future supply uncertain, which can hurt the economy, and burning fossil fuels harms the environment. India has plenty of sunlight, water, wind and biomass, so renewable sources make sense.

• Nuclear: heat released by altering the structure of atoms makes electricity. Uranium and thorium come from Jharkhand and the Aravalli ranges of Rajasthan; Kerala's monazite sands are rich in thorium.
• Solar: India is tropical; photovoltaic technology turns sunlight directly into electricity, cutting rural use of firewood and dung cake.
• Wind: largest cluster from Nagarcoil to Madurai (Tamil Nadu); Nagarcoil and Jaisalmer use wind well.
• Biogas: from shrubs and farm, animal and human waste; more thermally efficient than kerosene, dung cake and charcoal. Gobar gas plants give energy plus better manure.
• Tidal: floodgate dams trap high-tide water and release it through turbines; Gulf of Khambhat, Gulf of Kuchchh, Sunderbans.
• Geothermal: hot groundwater turns to steam to run turbines; Manikaran (Parvati valley) and Puga Valley (Ladakh).

Worked example

Why is there a pressing need to use non-conventional sources of energy in India? Explain with any two such sources. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Growing energy consumption has made India increasingly dependent on coal, oil and gas (1 mark)
2. Rising prices and potential shortages of oil and gas create uncertainty about energy security, which affects economic growth (1 mark)
3. Increasing use of fossil fuels causes serious environmental problems (1 mark)
4. Source 1 explained: solar energy, India being tropical, photovoltaic technology, reduces rural dependence on firewood and dung cakes (1 mark)
5. Source 2 explained: biogas from farm, animal and human waste, higher thermal efficiency and better manure (1 mark)

Answer: Need:
- Growing energy use has made India increasingly dependent on coal, oil and gas.
- Rising prices and possible shortages of oil and gas make future energy supply insecure, which can seriously affect economic growth.
- Increasing use of fossil fuels causes serious environmental problems.

Examples:
- Solar energy: India is tropical; photovoltaic technology turns sunlight into electricity and reduces rural dependence on firewood and dung cakes.
- Biogas: made from farm, animal and human waste; higher thermal efficiency than kerosene and dung cake, and it also improves manure.

Conservation of Energy Resources

NCERT section Conservation of Energy Resources

Energy is a basic requirement for economic development. Agriculture, industry, transport, commerce and homes all need it. Since Independence, development plans have needed more and more energy, so consumption of all forms has kept rising across the country.

Our energy resources are limited, and India is one of the least energy efficient countries in the world. So India needs a sustainable path of energy development, which rests on twin planks:

• promotion of energy conservation, and
• increased use of renewable energy sources.

What you can do as a citizen:

• use public transport instead of individual vehicles;
• switch off electricity when not in use;
• use power-saving devices;
• use non-conventional sources of energy.

The saying 'energy saved is energy produced' has simple logic. Every unit you do not waste is a unit that does not have to be generated. So saving energy stretches limited fuel just as well as producing more, and it avoids the pollution that extra generation would cause.

Worked example

Suppose your housing society's electricity use keeps rising and the committee wants a plan that also helps the country. Suggest one measure under each of the twin planks of sustainable energy and say how it helps. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Conservation plank: switch off common-area lights and fans when not needed and use power-saving devices, so less energy is wasted (1 mark)
2. Renewable plank: install solar panels for common lighting, which increases renewable energy use and reduces dependence on fossil-fuel power (1 mark)

Answer: - Conservation: switch off common-area lights and fans when not needed and use power-saving devices, so less energy is wasted.
- Renewables: install solar panels for common lighting, reducing dependence on fossil-fuel power.

Minerals and Energy Resources in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• Mineral Resources and Their Mode of OccurrenceComing soon
• Ferrous Minerals and Iron Ore Mines
• Non-Ferrous, Non-Metallic and Rock MineralsComing soon
• Conservation of MineralsComing soon
• Conventional Sources of Energy
• Non-Conventional Energy and Energy Conservation

Minerals and Energy Resources: key facts

Mineral

A homogenous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal structure.

Use for 'What is a mineral?' and to separate a mineral from a rock.

Ore

A mineral mixed with other elements, concentrated enough to make extraction commercially viable.

Use in mineral-versus-ore questions and when explaining why some deposits are not mined.

Veins and lodes

Small (veins) and large (lodes) deposits in cracks of igneous and metamorphic rocks: tin, copper, zinc, lead.

MCQs on which minerals come from veins and lodes.

Placer deposits

Alluvial deposits in sands of valley floors and hill bases: gold, silver, tin, platinum.

These minerals are not corroded by water. Use for MCQs on placer deposits.

Residual weathering

Bauxite forms as a residual mass after surface rocks decompose and soluble parts are removed.

Answer for 'mineral formed by decomposition of rocks'.

Magnetite vs hematite

Magnetite: finest ore, up to 70 per cent iron, magnetic. Hematite: 50-60 per cent iron, most used by quantity.

Comparisons and case-based questions on iron ore.

Bailadila

Bastar district, Chhattisgarh: 14 super high grade hematite deposits; export to Japan and South Korea via Vishakhapatnam.

Belt features and map identification.

Kudremukh

Western Ghats, Karnataka: 100 per cent export unit; ore sent as slurry by pipeline to a port near Mangaluru.

Belt features and map identification.

Manganese

Nearly 10 kg per tonne of steel; also bleaching powder, insecticides, paints.

Uses of manganese in short answers.

Mica and limestone

Mica: Koderma-Gaya-Hazaribagh belt leads; insulating. Limestone: raw material for cement, used in blast furnace.

Non-metallic and rock mineral questions.

Coal ladder

Peat, then lignite, then bituminous, then anthracite, from lowest to highest quality.

Types of coal; lignite at Neyveli, Tamil Nadu.

Coal ages

Gondwana: a little over 200 million years, Damodar valley. Tertiary: about 55 million years, north-east.

Describe distribution of coal in India.

Petroleum occurrence

Anticlines and fault traps in tertiary rocks; gas lies above oil.

How petroleum occurs; Assam oldest state, Ankleshwar key Gujarat field.

HVJ pipeline

First 1,700 km cross-country gas pipeline by GAIL, linking Mumbai High and Bassein to western and northern India.

Natural gas infrastructure questions.

Monazite sands

Kerala's monazite sands are rich in thorium.

Nuclear energy MCQs.

Twin planks of sustainable energy

Promotion of energy conservation plus increased use of renewable energy sources.

Energy conservation case-based and 5-mark questions.

Minerals and Energy Resources: map work

The places on the official CBSE map list for this chapter. Find each one on an outline map of India and practise marking it.

How the board asks Minerals and Energy Resources

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember Minerals and Energy Resources

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• Coal quality ladder

  'Please Let Boys Act': Peat, Lignite, Bituminous, Anthracite, climbing from lowest to highest quality.

  Use it when: Types of coal in MCQs and short answers; remember lignite sits at Neyveli.

• Four iron ore belts

  'Old Dogs Bark Madly': Odisha-Jharkhand, Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur, Ballari-Chitradurga-Chikkamagaluru-Tumakuru, Maharashtra-Goa.

  Use it when: 5-mark question on iron ore belts; add one feature to each.

• Placer minerals

  'GST-Plus': Gold, Silver, Tin, Platinum, the minerals river sand keeps because water cannot corrode them.

  Use it when: MCQs on placer deposits.

• Veins and lodes

  'Tin Cans Zip Lids': Tin, Copper, Zinc, Lead come from cracks in igneous and metamorphic rocks.

  Use it when: Separating vein minerals from bed and residual minerals.

• Non-conventional list

  'SWTG-BA': Solar, Wind, Tidal, Geothermal, Biogas, Atomic. If it is not on this list, it is conventional.

  Use it when: Classification MCQs, especially the trap about atomic energy.

• Twin planks check

  'Save and Switch': save energy (conservation) and switch to renewables.

  Use it when: Any question on sustainable energy or 'energy saved is energy produced'.

Minerals and Energy Resources: board-level solved questions

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Case-study practice (Section E style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In the board paper this is a 4-mark question split into 1 + 1 + 2 marks.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

Where students lose marks in Minerals and Energy Resources

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Putting atomic energy under conventional sources

  Students think of nuclear plants as big, old, established power sources, so they group them with coal and thermal power.

  Wrong working

  Conventional sources: coal, petroleum, natural gas and nuclear energy.

  Right working

  Conventional sources: firewood, cattle dung cake, coal, petroleum, natural gas, electricity (hydel and thermal). Non-conventional: solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biogas and atomic energy.

  ✓Do this: Learn the NCERT non-conventional list as one unit with atomic at the end.

  Usually costs: 1 mark in an MCQ, or ½ to 1 mark in a distinction answer.

• ✗Mistake: Swapping the iron content of magnetite and hematite

  Students remember that hematite is 'most important' and assume it must also have the most iron.

  Wrong working

  Hematite is the finest iron ore with up to 70 per cent iron.

  Right working

  Magnetite is the finest ore with up to 70 per cent iron; hematite has 50-60 per cent but is the most used by quantity.

  ✓Do this: Remember: magnetite is magnetic and the finest; hematite is the workhorse used in bulk.

  Usually costs: 1 mark in an MCQ or case-based part.

• ✗Mistake: Confusing mineral and ore

  Both words are used loosely in daily speech, so students treat them as the same thing.

  Wrong working

  An ore is a naturally occurring substance with a definite internal structure.

  Right working

  A mineral is a homogenous, naturally occurring substance with a definable internal structure. An ore is an accumulation of a mineral mixed with other elements, concentrated enough to make extraction commercially viable.

  ✓Do this: Link 'ore' to money: an ore is a mineral worth mining.

  Usually costs: 1 to 2 marks in a definition or distinction.

• ✗Mistake: Giving the wrong mode of formation for bauxite

  Bauxite is a metal ore, so students place it with metals in veins and lodes.

  Wrong working

  Bauxite is obtained from veins and lodes in igneous rocks.

  Right working

  Bauxite forms by decomposition of surface rocks rich in aluminium silicates, leaving a residual mass of weathered material.

  ✓Do this: Pair the word 'residual' with bauxite every time you revise.

  Usually costs: 1 mark in an MCQ or a mode-of-occurrence answer.

• ✗Mistake: Placing mines in the wrong state on the map

  Several iron ore and coal names sound alike, and students memorise names without their states.

  Wrong working

  Bailadila marked in Karnataka; Neyveli marked in Kerala.

  Right working

  Bailadila is in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh; Kudremukh is in the Western Ghats of Karnataka; Neyveli (lignite) is in Tamil Nadu.

  ✓Do this: Revise every map item as a pair: name plus state or coast.

  Usually costs: 1 mark per wrongly placed item in map work.

• ✗Mistake: Listing points without reasons in a 5-mark justify question

  Students write a list of energy-saving actions but never show how they connect to the statement.

  Wrong working

  Energy saved is energy produced. Use public transport. Switch off lights. Use solar energy. Use power-saving devices.

  Right working

  Energy demand keeps rising and resources are limited; India is one of the least energy efficient countries; each unit saved need not be generated; conservation plus renewables are the twin planks of sustainable energy; for example, using public transport and power-saving devices cuts demand.

  ✓Do this: For 'justify' questions, give reasons first, then examples, one point per mark.

  Usually costs: 2 to 3 marks out of 5.

NCERT exercise guide: Minerals and Energy Resources

What each exercise in the NCERT chapter tests, how to approach it, and a question of the same kind solved step by step. Questions here are written in our own words.

Minerals and Energy Resources: previous year questions

• Asked in 20 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 3.4 marks per paper; 43 questions in all, counting OR alternatives. In 3 of 4 sample papers.

Counted from the real papers on our previous year papers page, not estimated. Average marks are over every board paper we hold, with an OR pair counted once. Chapter tags are ours.

Solved board questions from Minerals and Energy Resources

Real questions from recent papers. Try each one first, then open our step-by-step solution with marks per step.

Every Minerals and Energy Resources question, by year

Practice questions on Minerals and Energy Resources

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

   Which type of coal is the most popular in commercial use in India?
   (a) Peat
   (b) Lignite
   (c) Bituminous
   (d) Anthracite

   Hint

   Think of the coal buried deep and exposed to higher temperatures.

   Answer

   (c) Bituminous. It forms from deeply buried coal at higher temperatures and is the most popular commercial coal. High-grade bituminous coal is metallurgical coal.

2. Q2 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonBoard level

   Read the statements and choose the correct option.
   Assertion (A): Most minerals in ocean waters are of little economic significance.
   Reason (R): These minerals are too widely diffused in the water.
   (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   (b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   (c) A is true but R is false.
   (d) A is false but R is true.

   Hint

   Ask yourself why vast quantities of a mineral can still be hard to use.

   Answer

   (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. Ocean minerals are spread too thinly to extract profitably. Common salt, magnesium and bromine are exceptions.

3. Q3 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

   Distinguish between lignite and anthracite. (2 marks)

   Hint

   Compare their quality and hardness, and give a place for one of them.

   Answer

   Lignite is a low-grade, soft brown coal with high moisture; its main reserves are at Neyveli (Tamil Nadu) and it is used to make electricity. Anthracite is the highest-quality hard coal.

4. Q4 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

   Why is mica considered one of the most indispensable minerals for the electric and electronic industries? (2 marks)

   Hint

   List its electrical properties and how it splits.

   Answer

   Mica has excellent dielectric strength, a low power loss factor and good insulating properties, and it resists high voltage. It also splits easily into very thin sheets.

5. Q5 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

   What is an ore? Name any two factors that decide whether a mineral reserve is turned into a mine. (2 marks)

   Hint

   Think about concentration, effort of extraction and distance to buyers.

   Answer

   An ore is a mineral mixed with other elements, concentrated enough to make extraction commercially viable. Factors (any two): concentration of mineral in the ore, ease of extraction, and closeness to the market.

6. Q6 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level

   Why is aluminium an important metal? Describe the distribution of bauxite and copper in India. (5 marks)

   Hint

   Give the properties of aluminium, then the areas for bauxite, then the mines for copper.

   Answer

   Aluminium combines the strength of metals like iron with extreme lightness, good conductivity and great malleability. It comes from bauxite, a clay-like residual deposit. Bauxite is found mainly in the Amarkantak plateau, Maikal hills and the Bilaspur-Katni plateau. Odisha was the largest producer in 2018-19, with its key deposits at Panchpatmali in Koraput. India is critically deficient in copper, which is used in electrical cables, electronics and chemical industries. The leading copper producers are the Balaghat mines (Madhya Pradesh), the Khetri mines (Rajasthan) and Singhbhum district (Jharkhand).

7. Q7 · 3 marks · Map workHarder board level

   On an outline map of India, locate and label: (i) Mayurbhanj iron ore mine (ii) Kudremukh iron ore mine (iii) Mumbai High oil field. (3 marks)

   Hint

   One is on the east, one in the Western Ghats, one in the sea.

   Answer

   (i) Mayurbhanj: Odisha, in the Odisha-Jharkhand belt, in the part bordering Jharkhand.
   (ii) Kudremukh: Western Ghats of Karnataka, inland from Mangaluru.
   (iii) Mumbai High: offshore in the Arabian Sea, off the coast near Mumbai.
   Use clear symbols and a key.

8. Q8 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level

   Explain the relationship between rocks and minerals, why minerals vary so much in their properties, and how geographers and geologists study minerals differently. (5 marks)

   Hint

   Start with what a rock is made of, then the conditions of formation, then the two kinds of scientists.

   Answer

   • Rocks are combinations of homogenous substances called minerals. Some rocks, like limestone, have one mineral; most have several in varying proportions.
   • Over 2000 minerals are known, but only a few are abundant in most rocks.
   • Which mineral forms from a set of elements depends on the physical and chemical conditions during formation.
   • These conditions give minerals their range of colour, hardness, crystal form, lustre and density, from hard diamond to soft talc; geologists classify minerals by these properties.
   • Geographers study minerals as part of the crust to understand landforms, resource distribution and economic activities; geologists study their formation, age and physical and chemical composition.

9. Q9 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

   Imagine two hypothetical villages. Village P is dry, sunny and windy most of the year. Village Q is a dairy village where every family keeps cattle and burns dung cakes for cooking. Choose one non-conventional energy source for each village and defend your choice. (5 marks)

   Hint

   Match each source to the resource the village already has in plenty, then say why both villages gain by leaving old fuels.

   Answer

   Village P: solar energy (or wind).

   • India is tropical with plenty of sunlight; photovoltaic technology turns sunlight directly into electricity.
   • Solar power is spreading in rural and remote areas and reduces dependence on firewood and dung cakes, saving forests and manure. Steady winds also suit wind power.

   Village Q: a gobar gas plant.

   • Its dung is the raw material; biogas has higher thermal efficiency than dung cake, kerosene and charcoal.
   • It gives twin benefits, fuel and better manure, and stops manure being burnt as dung cakes.

   Common reason: both sources are renewable, so the villages avoid fossil fuels with rising prices and pollution.

10. Q10 · 2 marks · Very short answerHOTS / competency

    Petroleum refineries are called a 'nodal industry'. Explain why, and predict one effect on other industries if a large refinery stopped working. (2 marks)

    Hint

    A node is a point that many lines connect to.

    Answer

    Refineries supply fuel, lubricants and raw materials to synthetic textile, fertiliser and chemical industries, so many industries depend on them. If one stopped, units depending on it, such as fertiliser plants, would lose raw material and slow production.

11. Q11 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonBoard level

    Read the statements and choose the correct option.
    Assertion (A): Solar energy is fast becoming popular in rural and remote areas of India.
    Reason (R): Solar power plants increase the dependence of rural households on firewood and dung cakes.
    (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
    (b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
    (c) A is true but R is false.
    (d) A is false but R is true.

    Hint

    Does solar power add to or cut the use of traditional fuels?

    Answer

    (c) A is true but R is false. Solar plants reduce, not increase, rural dependence on firewood and dung cakes, which helps conserve the environment and keeps manure for farms.

12. Q12 · 4 marks · Case-basedHarder board level

    Read the passage and answer the questions.

    India has plenty of good-quality iron ore, the mineral on which industrial growth rests. Two ores matter most. Magnetite is the richest, holding up to 70 per cent iron, and its magnetic quality makes it useful to the electrical industry. Hematite carries a little less iron, 50 to 60 per cent, yet industry uses more of it than any other iron ore. Production is highly concentrated: in 2018-19, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Jharkhand together supplied about 97 per cent of the country's iron ore. Much of the high-grade ore from mines such as Bailadila in Chhattisgarh and Kudremukh in Karnataka is sold to buyers abroad.

    (i) Which iron ore is the finest? (1)
    (ii) Why is magnetite especially valuable to the electrical industry? (1)
    (iii) Explain why ore from Bailadila and Kudremukh can be sold abroad, and how it reaches the ports. (2)

    Hint

    For (iii), recall the quality of Bailadila ore, the status of Kudremukh and the port each uses.

    Answer

    (i) Magnetite, with up to 70 per cent iron.
    (ii) It has excellent magnetic qualities.
    (iii) Bailadila's super high grade hematite has the best physical properties for steel making, so it is in demand abroad; it goes to Japan and South Korea via Vishakhapatnam. Kudremukh, a 100 per cent export unit, sends ore as slurry by pipeline to a port near Mangaluru.

13. Q13 · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

    Study the state-wise share of manganese production in 2018-19 (NCERT Fig. 5.3): Madhya Pradesh 33%, Maharashtra 27%, Odisha 16%, with smaller shares from other states.
    (i) What is the combined share of the two leading states? (1)
    (ii) Nearly 10 kg of manganese is needed for one tonne of steel. About how much manganese would a hypothetical plant need to make 1,000 tonnes of steel? (1)
    (iii) India exports large amounts of ferrous minerals, yet a steady home supply of manganese still matters. Explain both points. (2)

    Hint

    For (iii), think about when India exports, and which industries at home use manganese.

    Answer

    (i) 33 + 27 = 60 per cent.
    (ii) 10 kg x 1,000 = 10,000 kg, that is about 10 tonnes.
    (iii) India exports ferrous minerals only after meeting its internal demand, as its resources are substantial. At home, manganese is needed to make steel and ferro-manganese alloy, and for bleaching powder, insecticides and paints, so metallurgical industries need a steady supply.

14. Q14 · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

    Read the passage and answer the questions.

    Imagine a planning team studying the eastern part of the peninsula. Their maps show the Odisha-Jharkhand iron ore belt, with high-grade hematite at Badampahar in Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar, and at Gua and Noamundi in Singbhum. Close by lies the Damodar valley of West Bengal-Jharkhand, with the Jharia, Raniganj and Bokaro coalfields of Gondwana age. Odisha is also among the leading producers of manganese. The team notes that coal is a bulky material that loses weight when it burns to ash, and that steel making needs iron ore, a special high-grade coal and manganese together.

    (i) Name the type of coal found in the Damodar valley that is used for smelting iron. (1)
    (ii) State one use of manganese in steel making. (1)
    (iii) Using the passage and the chapter, explain two reasons why this region suits heavy iron and steel industry. (2)

    Hint

    For (iii), combine the closeness of raw materials with the nature of coal.

    Answer

    (i) Metallurgical coal (high-grade bituminous, Gondwana coal).
    (ii) Nearly 10 kg of manganese is needed to make one tonne of steel, and it is used for ferro-manganese alloy.
    (iii) - Iron ore, metallurgical coal and manganese all lie close together, so raw materials are near at hand.

    • Coal is bulky and loses weight as ash, so heavy industry is cheapest on or near coalfields, cutting transport costs.

15. Q15 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level

    Much of India's high-grade iron ore travels long distances to ports, but coal is mostly used close to where it is mined. Explain this contrast with suitable examples. (5 marks)

    Hint

    Explain the iron ore exports first with ports, then the nature of coal and where industry is placed.

    Answer

    • India has large ferrous mineral resources and exports substantial quantities after meeting its internal demand.
    • Bailadila's super high grade hematite is exported to Japan and South Korea via Vishakhapatnam port.
    • Kudremukh is a 100 per cent export unit, sending ore as slurry by pipeline to a port near Mangaluru; Goa's ore leaves through Marmagao.
    • Coal, by contrast, is bulky and loses weight on use as it is reduced to ash, so moving it far is wasteful.
    • Hence heavy industries and thermal power stations are located on or near coalfields, as in the Damodar valley, and Neyveli's lignite is used for generating electricity.

16. Q16 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level

    Why is it necessary to reduce rural India's dependence on firewood and dung cakes? Explain how solar energy and biogas can help. (5 marks)

    Hint

    Give the problems with the old fuels first, then one point each for solar and biogas.

    Answer

    • By one estimate, firewood and dung cake meet more than 70 per cent of rural household energy needs.
    • Depending on firewood is becoming difficult because forest area is decreasing.
    • Burning dung cake is discouraged because it consumes valuable manure needed in agriculture.
    • Solar energy: India is tropical; photovoltaic technology turns sunlight into electricity. Solar plants reduce rural use of firewood and dung cakes, helping conserve the environment and keep manure for farms.
    • Biogas: gobar gas has higher thermal efficiency than dung cake and kerosene, gives energy plus improved manure, and prevents the loss of trees and manure.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.Which iron ore is the finest and has up to 70 per cent iron?Show answer

   Magnetite.

2. 2.Name the minerals found in placer deposits.Show answer

   Gold, silver, tin and platinum.

3. 3.Which port exports Bailadila iron ore to Japan and South Korea?Show answer

   Vishakhapatnam.

4. 4.How much manganese is needed to make one tonne of steel?Show answer

   Nearly 10 kg.

5. 5.Which belt is the leading producer of mica?Show answer

   The Koderma-Gaya-Hazaribagh belt of Jharkhand.

6. 6.Where are India's principal lignite reserves?Show answer

   Neyveli in Tamil Nadu.

7. 7.Which is the oldest oil producing state of India?Show answer

   Assam.

8. 8.Where are India's two experimental geothermal projects?Show answer

   Parvati valley near Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh and Puga Valley in Ladakh.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐Can you define a mineral and an ore and say how they differ?
• ☐Can you name the five modes of occurrence with one mineral for each?
• ☐Can you compare magnetite and hematite on iron content and use?
• ☐Can you name the four iron ore belts and one feature of each?
• ☐Can you give the uses of copper and why aluminium is an important metal?
• ☐Can you explain why mica is indispensable in the electrical industry?
• ☐Can you give three reasons to conserve minerals and two ways to do it?
• ☐Can you arrange the four types of coal in order and place Gondwana and tertiary coal?
• ☐Can you explain how petroleum is trapped in anticlines and fault traps?
• ☐Can you locate Bailadila, Kudremukh, Raniganj, Neyveli, Digboi, Mumbai High and the nuclear plants Narora, Kakrapara, Tarapur and Kalpakkam on the map?

Minerals and Energy Resources: frequently asked questions